The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-09-05
HYPOCRISY UNMASKED.
a CIVIL SERVICE REPORT TO THE
PRESIDENT.

Commissioner Bdgerton Exposes the
Real Motive of the Complaint of a
Discharged Employe Against the Col
lector of the Port of Chicago-Some
of the Members Blind.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 4.-The Civil Service
Commission has submitted to the President
the report of its investigation in April last
of the complaint made by George A. Web
ster against Anthony F. Seeberger, Collec-
tor of the port of Chicago, and transmitted
to the President by the Civil Service
Reform League of Chicago, and by
him referred to the commission. charg-
ing violations of the civil service law.
The report consists of the ''opinion of the
commission" signed by Commissioners
Oberly and Lyman; report to the commits
sion by Commissioner Edgerton and
another by Commissioner Lyman, who con-
fines himself principally to the testimony
submitted at the investigation, The facts
as to the inciting cause of this particular
investigation Indicate that it was brought
about in this way:
George A. Webster, clerk in the Ap-
praiser's department of the Chicago custom
soldier, whose efficiency, sobriety and in
tegrity were established, was requested to
resign.
QUESTION OF vERACITY.
He inquired for what cause. and therein
comes an element of conflicting testimony.
Mr.. Webster says the collector told him the
request was made because the pressure was
too great and he must have some vacancies
for his party. Collector Seeberger, on the
nfh oV1d IG IN a i
not make use of this language
but cannot remember what he did say, and
has since persistently declined to give his
real reasons, saying they were satisfactory
to himself, but that he proposed to keep
them locked up in his own bosom. On this
point the main divergence of opinion comes
in. Commissioners Oberly and Wyman
hold that Mr.. Webster had right to his
his opinions and should not have been dis
chnrged for them. if this were really the
case, as asserted, so long as he did not Of
fensively obtrude those opinions or allow
them to influence his official conduct, and
that he had right to know from the collec-
tor what the real reasons for his discharge
were.
EDGERTON OF THE OPPOSITE OPINION
Commissioner Edgerton, on the other
hand, holds that the collector had right to
make the dismissal without assigning any
reasons. Commissioner Edgerton, in his re-
port, says: The papers in the case were
sent to the President by the Civil Service
Reform League Of Chicago, and not derectly
to the commission; and it was apparent
upon the face of these papers that the
charges were not only insufficient. but
were melted and encouraged by the league,
for two purposes-to make them the basis
for a political partisan attack upon the
present administration, and by so doing to
bring prominently forward as active civil
service reformers certain persons who
might otherwise remain unknown. Mr..
Webster states that he was removed, or co
creed to resign, for political reasons and
this is all the charge there is against Mr..
Seeberger that deserves any constellation
whatever. This charge Mr.. Seeberger en-
phatically denies.
NOT A REMOVAL.
Mr.. Webster was not removed: he re-
signed. When Mr.. Webster resigned he
abandoned all legal claim to his position ;
and without claim or right, why should be
or the Chicago Reform League seek the in
tervention of the President or an investiga-
ton by the commission, unless for
partisan political reasons! He sought
the aid and sympathy of this reform
league, not for restoration to Office, but for
that temporary newspaper prominence
which might make more popular the pur
poses of both, which purposes were to an
tagonize and to discredit the Democratic
administration. The league might possibly
demonstrate its pretended power and use
fulness by an attempt to find some legal
redress for such complaints as Mr.. Web
ster's, if any could be found to exist.
RESTORATION NOT SOUGHT.
But in those cases of removal from office
restoration is not sought through that Civil
Service Commission, foI, it is known to be
powerless to effect it. but the purpose of the
complaint is to fasten upon the Democratic
administration some charge of violation, if
not of the letter, then of the spirit of the
law, violations which are rarely, if ever
sought for during Republican adnlnistra-
ton, as whatever it might do would be
called faithful observance of the law The
leagues and associations" which are
too often essentially political in their char
acter and purposes and not composed
entirely of consistent reformers, az we'll as
the individual preteDdels to devotion to the
public interest as civil service reformers.
should concede to the President and to his
party some honesty of purpose, and should
believe that as far as is in his power he will
see that the civil service law and rules made
by himself are faithfully executed
GREED FOR OFFICE.
So long as unreasoning hostility to the
administration and persistent denunciation
are called vigilance and investigation in the
cause of honest government and civil SER
vice reform, so long will it he known that
neither civil service reform nor honest gov
ernment are real subj ects of deep concern /:
bUt that greed for office and party success
are the handspring TO action, and tine defeat
of the present Democratic administration
the highest purpose.
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